Rhyolite Pinnacles

May 17, 2012

Rhyolite

Photographer: Noni Todd
Summary Author: Noni Todd 

The photo above shows rhyolite rock formations along the Moses Spring Trail in Pinnacles National Monument, California. These silica rich igneous outcrops were created by the long extinct Neenach Volcano. Over the years, the San Andreas Fault has slowly split the ancient volcano in half, moving one section south and this section, in the National Monument, toward the north. Note the curious expression (Pareidolia) etched on the column at left. Photo taken on February 12, 2012. 

Photo details: Camera Maker: Canon; Camera Model: Canon PowerShot SX120 IS; Focal Length: 6.0mm; Aperture: f/2.8; Exposure Time: 0.0010 s (1/1000); ISO equiv: 80; Exposure Bias: none; Metering Mode: Matrix; White Balance: Auto; Flash Fired: No (enforced); Orientation: Normal; Color Space: sRGB.